


Like Cop, Like Thief

by rotKaiserin



Category: Super Sentai Series, 快盗戦隊ルパンレンジャー VS 警察戦隊パトレンジャー | Kaitou Sentai Lupinranger VS Keisatsu Sentai Patoranger
Genre: Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Gen, Non-Chronological
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-17
Updated: 2018-07-22
Packaged: 2019-05-24 08:45:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14951412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rotKaiserin/pseuds/rotKaiserin
Summary: Be they noble thief or vengeful police officer, each of them has their reason to fight.





	1. Lupin Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dusk fell before dawn, and Asaka Keiichiro was faced with a choice: to continue fighting with the law or against it for the greater good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i was hoping to get this up before X debuted and...!! *jazz hands* cutting it a bit close, but here it is~ lol
> 
> i've always been fascinated by role swaps and thought doing one for lupinpat would be pretty interesting! trying to keep everyone's backstories the same while seeing what it'd be like if they'd taken up different choices... i had a lot of fun with this haha
> 
> this is crossposted onto my [writing blog](https://missblanchette.tumblr.com/post/174962797273/like-cop-like-thief-16). thank you guys for reading, i hope you all enjoy!! o(≧∇≦o)

"So do you accept the offer?"

Keiichiro glared at the man before him, the device he'd called the VS Changer lying in his outstretched hands. Keiichiro's mind screamed at him to get out of there, every muscle in his body ready to run off, the breaths he took almost words to yell at him. Here, this man was asking him to be a thief -- a _criminal_ \-- as if it were no big deal.

And yet, Keiichiro couldn't bring himself to say "no."

"...This is the key to defeating the Ganglers?" Keiichiro raised an eyebrow, taking a cautious step forward.

"Correct," Kogure said. "To eradicate the Ganglers and destroy their dimension, you must collect all the pieces of the Lupin Collection. In order to do that, you must become a Lupinranger." Though he spoke calmly, it was as if he was urging him on.

"A thief."

"If that is how you wish to word it, then yes."

Keiichiro huffed, eyes scanning the area. If it was some kind of setup, he should've seen something strange by now. His blind spots were behind and below him, but he doubted anyone could've been hiding out on the bridge. Nonetheless, he couldn't risk anything; one could never be too careful, especially with the Ganglers running around. Hell, he might've been speaking to one right now.

"This is ridiculous," Keiichiro muttered. "Get lost. I'm letting you go for now but if I see you pulling this again, I'll have to look into you for premeditation."

Without waiting for a response, Keiichiro brushed past Kogure as quickly as he could.

"So you're willing to leave the Ganglers out and about?" Kogure called out to him.

Keiichiro stopped in his tracks, whipping around to face him.

"What do you know?!" He gripped the handle of his suitcase as a vein in his forehead nearly popped. "You're just some butler, if you're really who you say you are."

"I know that more and more people continue to go missing," Kogure said rather matter-of-factly, much to Keiichiro's annoyance. He stepped forward, steadily closing the distance between them as he spoke. "I know that the death toll only grows higher and higher." He stopped right in front of Keiichiro, locking gazes with him. "I know that about every attempt the police has made to take down the Ganglers has ended in failure."

Dropping his suitcase with a loud _thud_ , Keiichiro grabbed Kogure by the collar. Even so, Kogure maintained his poker-face, his expression not changing once throughout the whole exchange. Keiichiro gritted his teeth.

" _Shut up_! Don't act as if things are that simple!" His grip on Kogure's collar tightened, his vision growing redder and redder. "We've been doing all that we can to mitigate and prevent the Gangler attacks! Our unit works all day and all night to preserve the peace!"

"And has that been enough?"

An image of two parents crying over their missing daughter flashed through Keiichiro's mind, of a father losing the light in his eyes as he heard about the death of his wife and child, of a boy wailing for his friends who wouldn't be coming back from their field trip. His police badge rested heavily in his chest pocket.

"We'll find a way!" he shouted, though at this point he wasn't sure if it was to answer Kogure or reassure himself. "We'll find a way to take down the Ganglers, no matter how long it takes!"

"I'm offering you a way right here."

"A _just_ way."

"Is this not just?"

"It's a crime!"

"It's a way to protect the people."

Silence lapsed over, Keiichiro finding neither lie nor truth in Kogure's impassive eyes. He hadn't realized he'd been shaking this whole time, his fingers trembling as he shoved Kogure away. Still, Keiichiro did not walk away -- not just yet.

"Is that not your duty?" Kogure prodded him. "Is it not your job to serve the public in any way you can?"

Once again, they were face-to-face, Kogure holding the VS Changer out to him a little bit higher. Keiichiro glanced down at it, swallowing hard.

"...And how do you know this will work?" His voice was unusually quiet.

"Trust yourself," Kogure said. "For only _you_ are capable of keeping the people safe."

Protecting the peace had been Keiichiro's dream for as long as he could remember. Just as his own role model protected him from harm, he wanted to protect others as well. Truly, he would gladly give up his own life if it meant that everyone could continue smiling without worries.

And surely betraying his own morals was the same as giving up his own life.

His hand hovered over the VS Changer, Kogure watching as he made his decision. There was a gleam in his eyes that Keiichiro couldn't quite discern.

"I'm doing this for the people," he said, gripping the VS Changer. It felt odd and clunky -- _wrong_ \-- in his hand. "And _only_ for the people."

"Have no doubt that I understand your resolve, Keiichiro."

Despite that, it seemed as if Keiichiro's police badge was stabbing him in the heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> originally this was just gonna be a bunch of drabble-esque things, but i wasn't really happy with the first draft ;; they got pretty long upon rewriting, so i decided to just split them up into chapters!
> 
> i'll see you guys next time with tsukasa's part! (ノ°▽°)ノ


	2. Lupin Pink

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quitting her job at the GSPO was only inevitable; it was just a matter of how Myoujin Tsukasa would handle it -- and if she could keep her night job a secret as well.

Tsukasa had landed one of the best jobs she could’ve imagined. Working as a detective of the GSPO brought great benefits and secured a good pension, plus it certainly didn't hurt that it was a highly respectable position. She'd cried blood, sweat, and tears to get to where she was now, spending countless days and nights of intense training and studying to make it.

But here she was, throwing it all away less than a year in.

"Are you sure about this, Tsukasa?" Commissioner Hilltop asked the question that she'd asked herself too many times to count.

He stared at her resignation letter with furrowed brows and the deepest frown she'd ever seen him make. Jim stood to the side, looking as downtrodden as a robot could. It was just the three of them in the office, Keiichiro having left over a month ago; the two of them had agreed to put as much time as possible in between their leaves so as to not raise too many suspicions. The office was not big by any means, but somehow it felt large and empty as she stood there.

"Yes, sir," Tsukasa said, keeping her tone even. "It's something I've thought long and hard about, but I've decided that I'm no longer fit for this job." The words weighed heavily on her tongue no matter how many times she’d gone over her excuse.

"You've been one of our greatest assets, Tsukasa. Your quick thinking and perception has helped out on many cases, especially with Keiichiro gone." Hilltop spoke firmly yet gently, a voice not unlike a father encouraging his child, but that only made it all the more difficult to listen to him. She wouldn't deny her abilities (after all, she wouldn't have made it this far without them) but her abilities only accomplished so much. Without the intel that Kogure had been giving her, their unit wouldn't have even known how to start most of their cases. "If this is about the workload, we're currently in the process of hiring new recruits,” he continued.

That she knew. Another thing her newfound thievery skills were useful for was sneaking around and looking at files she shouldn't be looking at. The thought of being replaced hurt her pride a bit, but she had to admit the potential new officers weren't bad; they were competent, but not _too_ competent, which was exactly what she needed. She, Keiichiro, and Sakuya didn't need to deal with any more trouble on top of the Ganglers.

"That's just it, sir," Tsukasa said. "Everything we've tried so far hasn't worked out. What you need is a fresh set of minds to look at the Gangler cases from a different perspective."

"And that's _exactly_ why we need you, Tsukasa. You have a brilliant mind that looks at the bigger picture. Who else better to lead the new recruits than you?"

"You really are the backbone of this unit, Tsukasa-san!" Jim said, bumping into the conversation. Though technically it was a "private" meeting, neither Hilltop nor Tsukasa minded.

Glancing down, Tsukasa took a deep breath. As much as she would've liked to continue working with the GSPO, leading a double life had begun taking its toll on her. She didn't dare imagine what would happen if she slipped up and any of her higher-ups -- or even worse, the public -- found out. This was a necessary measure not only for her sake, but for the sake of the people who worked here as well.

"Thank you, both of you. I mean it when I say working here has been a wonderful experience, but..." Locking eyes with Hilltop, Tsukasa sealed her fate. "This is my final decision, and there's nothing you can say to change my mind."

Despite the suffocating silence that filled the room and the sad looks on Hilltop's and Jim's faces, Tsukasa held her ground. More of a realist than an outright pessimist, she told herself that this would be the only disappointment she'd have to face should she and the others be able to keep up their act. If she couldn't do this now, then she’d never be able to.

"...I see," Hilltop finally said. With a sigh, he got up from his seat and walked around his desk to face Tsukasa. Up close like this, she forced herself to maintain eye contact with him. "We really do appreciate you here. Will you at least think this over?"

Tsukasa's shoulders slumped, the tension in her body letting loose.

"Of course, sir," she said, speaking her last lie of the day.

That was the hard part down. Now all that was left to do was ride out the month before her final day here. A month filled with obtaining any info that she and the others might not have, a month filled with keeping the GSPO in the dark about the Lupinrangers.

Her work as a police officer might’ve been nearing its end, but her work as a thief was just getting into gear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> how convenient is it that the canon lupins are just two teenagers and a chef haha i've always wondered how they handled transitioning into thieves, but their experiences were probably simpler than tsukasa's lol either way, i just find this kinda stuff -- how they deal with the transition -- pretty interesting hehe
> 
> thank you guys for reading!! see you guys next time with sakuya's chapter! ~ヾ(＾∇＾)


	3. Lupin Green

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As shady as this thieving business was, Hikawa Sakuya would make the most of the situation. If not for himself, then for the sake of everyone else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a bit of a tone shift here since i've changed sakuya's backstory more than the others ehe anyways thank you guys for reading! i hope you all enjoy! ( ﾟ▽ﾟ)/

"Stay focused, Sakuya," Tsukasa-sen -- er, Tsukasa-san -- snapped at him as he landed from a handstand forward roll. From the front, Keiichiro-sen -- right, right, Keiichiro-san -- glared back at him, a look only eased by the way he fidgeted with his mask. "We're here on a mission, not play time.”

"Yes, ma'am," Sakuya said, saluting out of habit. Try as he might to keep his tone playful, Tsukasa-san gave him a look that was more wistful than reprimanding. Even so, she wasted no further time and she moved on with Sakuya following with a flourish of his coat tail.

For all the training hell Kogure-san put them through, it was amazing how much Keiichiro-san and Tsukasa-san still resembled police officers. Most of their movements were exact and precise, barely anything fancy; they simply did what needed to be done, which was fine and all, but _boring._ No matter how much they scolded him, Sakuya continued maneuvering through the area with a twirl, a flip, and a bounce in his step. _One_ of them had to live up to the whole phantom thieves image, after all.

News of the Lupinrangers had spread quickly after their first heist, something Sakuya didn't expect but took to rather quickly. As basic as Keiichiro-san and Tsukasa-san’s mannerisms could get, the media ate up every piece they could get of these so-called antiheroes of the night. Before long, #lupinrangers would be trending on just about every social media site as reports of their latest activities blew up the news -- so much so that Sakuya had taken up people watching to listen to what others had to say about them.

His little hobby had started with nearly empty streets, where the people spoke in hushed tones as they hurried to their destinations.

_"Those Lupinrangers seem kinda dangerous, don't you think?"_

_"But they took down a Gangler. They can't be_ all _bad."_

_"I don't know..."_

Across their faces were worry and apprehension, unsure of whether or not the thieves were yet another threat. Hearing all this, Sakuya had begun to have his doubts. Kogure-san had promised that their work as the Lupinrangers would bring an end to the Ganglers, but it seemed to just cause more unrest. Nevertheless, Sakuya pushed onward -- this was his decision and there was no backing out of it.

Soon enough, the streets grew busier and people spent more time outside. They had started to let loose and even talked about the Lupinrangers like local celebrities.

_"Did you hear? The Lupinrangers took down another Gangler!"_

_"Who needs the police when the Lupinrangers are out there?"_

_"Oh, who's your favorite? Mine is Lupin Green!"_

His heart fluttered and it was then that he thought that being a thief wasn't so bad. There wasn't much fortune to be had but, hey, they had fame. And girls were into the phantom thief thing, weren't they? ...Never mind the “breaking the law” part of the job; that was a problem for another day.

Eventually, there was that familiar hustle and bustle of the crowds as the people of Tokyo once again filled the streets. Though talk of the Lupinrangers still went on, Sakuya’s favorite part was that there wasn’t a need for it. Around him, children played freely with their parents close by, couples strolled around without a care in the world, and people went about their daily lives. He hadn’t seen this many smiles or heard this much laughter ever since the Ganglers started attacking.

It seemed like such a long time since there was any semblance of peace, this sense of normalcy feeling like a dream. Sometimes he wondered if this would've been possible if he hadn't dropped out of the police academy and actually became a police officer.

But such thoughts wouldn't get him anywhere at this rate, especially when it got Keiichiro-san and Tsukasa-san into one of _those_ moods. For now, he'd keep on dazzling and shining where they wouldn't. It was what the people wanted -- what the people needed to continue living without fear of the Ganglers.

"Sakuya." Before he could dash forward, Tsukasa-san pulled him back. Taking some dust from the ground, she blew on it to reveal the security lasers ahead of them. "If you're going to fool around, at least do it carefully."

Keiichiro-san clapped a hand against Sakuya’s shoulder, getting ready to cross the obstacle that awaited them.

"Swiftly and quietly, Sakuya!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Honestly, you two..." Tsukasa-san shook her head, though there was a hint of amusement in her voice.

Grinning, Sakuya followed Keiichiro-san and Tsukasa-san as they jumped and flipped through the security lasers. For as much as they lamented their current duties, slipping into the role got easier as time went by. Maybe one day they’d be like the phantom thieves everyone said they were.

"Hey, guys," Sakuya said. "I think there's a security camera at the end. We should strike a pose when we get there!"

"No," was the instantaneous response.

Welp. It didn't hurt to try.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for anyone familiar with persona 5, i kinda imagine sakuya taking to being a phantom thief like ryuji haha
> 
> [At Bistrot Jurer, during the lunch rush]  
> "You guys reADY FOR THE LUPINRANGER MEETI -- ow, Tsukasa-san that hurt :c"
> 
> all right not to _that_ extent lol but i do think he'd be the most into the phantom thief gimmick hehe
> 
> also another thing just for fun: i made some designs of the lupin!pats and pat!lupins for this AU, which you can see [here](http://rotkaiserin.tumblr.com/post/175289638142/the-determined-lupinrangers-the-dazzling)! (plus an alternate of tsukasa [here](http://rotkaiserin.tumblr.com/post/175347971282/rotkaiserin-the-determined-lupinrangers-the) too!)
> 
> anyways, thank you again for reading!! ~ヾ(＾∇＾) next chapter should be umika's, if i don't decide to go through with an idea that popped into my head suddenly haha


	4. Patren #3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She had always been the one being protected, but Hayami Umika had enough of it. With every trial she endured, every wound she suffered, every failure she faced, she _would_ learn to overcome her weakness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> putting this up a little later than i wanted, but here we go! finally taking a look at our dazzling patrangers haha
> 
> hope you guys enjoy~!

After recoil damage, a mild concussion, and a wounded pride, scrapes and bruises were the least of Umika's worries. Despite the tumbles she'd taken, she managed to finish her laps for today and that was what mattered. Twenty-four hundred meters in eleven minutes -- a new record!

"You look like a mess." Something cool tapped against her head and Umika turned to see Kairi holding cans of cola. "Sure you don't wanna see the nurse?"

"It's fine," she said as she made space for him. Giving her thanks, she took a can from him and rolled it in between the palms of her hands. "I have bandaids in my bag. I'll put them on later."

"Ah." Taking a seat next to her, Kairi cracked open his drink. "Learning from the pitfall incident, I see."

Her cheeks puffed out. "That was an accident, okay!"

"Right, like the eraser incident, and the shooting range incident, and the --"

"Oh hush, you!" Umika shoved him, but Kairi only snorted before taking a sip of his drink. "Not everyone can put in the bare minimum and pass with flying colors."

"Hey, I'm just conserving my energy for the important tests."

Rolling her eyes, Umika moved the can over to her bruising knees. As much as she respected Kairi, sometimes it felt like he was plain lucky. She put in so much work and effort, from classroom studies to field training, but he _always_ did better than her. Some people were more adept for these kind of things, sure, but that didn't stop the nagging voice in her head that told her that perhaps _she_ was the problem.

"Y'know, you don't have to be here if it's too much for you," Kairi said, voicing her very thoughts as if he was talking about the weather. She didn't bother hiding her pout.

"It's not," Umika said hastily.

Kairi sipped his drink while looking at her incredulously.

"...Okay, maybe a little."

"Then maybe you should drop out before you seriously get hurt."

"I can't!"

The outburst surprised even her, the can dropping from her hold and rolling onto the ground. She took a few moments to recollect herself.

"I just can't, okay?" Picking up the now lukewarm can, Umika fiddled with it in her hands. Her gaze fell to her feet, noting that her shoes had become as battered as her since she started training. "I have something to prove."

"To who?"

A pause.

"...Myself."

Indeed, a girl like her was out of place at the police academy. Of course she considered leaving -- more often than she’d like to admit. The training was much harsher than anything she'd ever faced, her sketches and sewing machine the only things she’d known before stepping foot here. Guns didn’t feel right in her grasp and combat didn’t suit her either.  Sometimes Umika wondered if she belonged in a place like this. Really, it would be so much easier to give all of this up.

But what would Shiho say if she were still around?

For the longest time, Umika questioned Shiho’s decision. She was nothing, she was _weak_ , and she would do anything to have Shiho back. There was little good she could do if she couldn’t even protect her best friend, she’d thought. Yet, Umika could still feel Shiho’s warm hand pushing her forward to this day and she knew deep inside that she couldn’t waste Shiho’s sacrifice. Ever since they were kids, Shiho had always been her number one supporter; no doubt she’d continue to cheer her on during her police training. The image of Shiho shattering into a million tiny shards of ice would never leave her, but neither would that last push Shiho gave her.

No more would she be the one being protected. The police academy promised to create protectors, those who dedicated their lives to preserving the peace and defending the public, and that was exactly what Umika would become.

"I --"

"Nah, I get it," Kairi said. Suddenly, a hand landed on top of her head but Kairi’s eyes were distant when she looked over at him. Before she could say anything, he snapped out of it and gave her a smile -- something she would've returned if he hadn't then pinched her nose. "Just gotta keep doing your best, right?"

"Jeez, do you always have to do that?" She glared at him as she swatted his hand away, but he just responded with his dumb grin.

Mood ruined, Umika decided it was about time she opened her drink. Unfortunately for her, it was just another incident to be added onto Kairi's running list as cola sprayed all over her like a hose. Him breaking out in laughter certainly didn’t help the situation.

"Oh man!" Kairi stood up in between laughs. "Wait ‘til Touma hears about this~"

"Kairi! Touma-senpai doesn't need to hear anything!" All her pain and woes forgotten, she shot up and chased after him. Protecting the public would come one day; for now, Umika focused on protecting her dignity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Later on, Touma-senpai told Kairi "Stop bothering me" but handed Umika a towel anyways lol
> 
> i decided to just go with my original plan of posting each member's POV since i got a new job that's taking up time and i already have everything written out for the most part lol, but i thought of writing little team interludes and would've posted the one for the lupin!pats this week instead if i finished o3o maybe when i find the time, i'll write those team interludes!
> 
> see you guys next time with touma's chapter! ~ヾ(＾∇＾)


	5. Patren #2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yoimachi Touma was not a man of justice nor righteousness, yet he still fought in the name of the law. He could only hope that it was worth the trouble.

Not once in the past year did Touma think of changing his lock screen. It wasn't exactly the same as the real deal, but it was the only way he could see Aya these days. Even if he wouldn’t admit it out loud, seeing her beautiful smile reminded him of why he bothered doing what he did.

"Focus, Touma." Detective Tsukasa's voice forced him back into the present and he had the decency to be a little embarrassed. "We're out on patrol."

"Sorry," he said, putting his phone away. He hadn't meant to get distracted like that but the constant buzzing in his pocket forced him to mute it (all notifications from Kairi, by the way, whom should've been working). Fortunately, Tsukasa only gave him a questioning glance. That'd been the least harsh of her scoldings and he was glad to leave it at that. Though she was leaving by the end of the week, she'd been training him as if the apocalypse was happening tomorrow.

Nonetheless, today had been pretty quiet. They hadn't spotted anything suspicious so far and neither had the rest of their unit. Quiet days were probably for the better, but he had to say that sitting in silence wasn't exactly exciting either.

"Is that your girlfriend? That woman on your phone, I mean." Tsukasa asked in a tone more conversational than curious, breaking the monotony of the car.

He took his previous thought back.

"Fiancée, actually." A smile ghosted Touma's lips before dying away. "...Was, at least."

Focus, Tsukasa had told him, so focus he did -- if only to keep the memories of that day from creeping up.

"She died over a year ago," he said, keeping his voice as calm as possible. "A Gangler got her." His words had become like a script at this point, but that didn't make them any easier to say.

"Oh... I'm sorry for your loss." She frowned, looking away as if to find something else to say. Her reaction was no different from anybody else's.

"Thank you."

Silence fell, not that Touma minded. Pity was the last thing he wanted.

"Is that why you joined GSPO? For your fiancée?" It sure would've been nice if a criminal or two popped up right about now so he wouldn't have to deal with this.

"Pretty much, yeah," he said, losing focus of the patrol area.

As memories of Aya shattering before his very eyes haunted him, her last words played like a broken record in his mind. _"Five minutes can be life and death, y'know!_ " Five minutes where he was too late. Five minutes where he failed to save her.

Later on, he heard about similar happenings on the news where the reporters speculated that a Gangler was behind these attacks. Though Touma was at a loss after Aya's death, there was one thing he knew he had to do: take down the Gangler that killed her. Joining the GSPO's Tactical Unit seemed liked the easiest way to accomplish this.

"That's all there is to it?" Tsukasa asked, her tone bordering accusation. "Is that your _only_ reason for joining?"

Touma nodded.

"Going through all that training just for her... well, I can certainly respect your dedication."

True, training had been difficult; he'd been a high-class chef, not a fighter. He'd never even considered becoming a police officer before. Things such as protecting the people or preserving the peace had meant little to him. Until Aya died, that was.

"Wouldn't you do the same?" was his reply.

Gripping her armrest, Tsukasa pursed her lips.

"...I suppose so." Her gaze fell to her lap. "...But don't you find this job tiring? Our duty is to everyone, not just one person. Can you really handle all this?"

He would be lying if he said he didn't ask himself that same question. His reason for joining had been a very selfish one, and going through all the drills and lessons made him wonder if it was worth it. Still, throughout it all, he remembered Aya -- Aya who'd always told him to keep an open mind and see the world for all its worth. Preserving the peace would be his way of protecting the world she'd cared about and that, to Touma, was good enough.

"I wouldn't have made it out of the police academy if I couldn't, Tsukasa."

"Fair enough," Tsukasa said, letting out a sort of half-laugh. "Sorry for interrogating you. I... just don't want to leave this job to someone who doesn't care about it."

"Don't worry about it. I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

The conversation was forced to end there, however, as Jim's voice blared through their earpieces.

"Tsukasa-san! Touma-san! There's a Gangler spotted nearby you two!"

Without wasting any time, Touma hit the gas. As they made their way to the scene, people ran away in the opposite direction -- no doubt that the Gangler was very close. Seeing the fear on their faces, Touma readied himself for the upcoming fight. He had a duty to Aya, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> usually i'm not really invested in the whole dead lover trope but... touma/aya is a Good LOL
> 
> can't wait to see you guys next time with the last, but not least, chapter!! kairi's has been a long time comin' haha. thank you guys for reading~!（｡≧◇≦）


	6. Patren #1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taking down criminals and getting rid of the Ganglers was part of the job description, but Yano Kairi could really do without the thieves -- especially Mr. High-and-Mighty that he seemed to fight on a weekly basis.

"You call yourself a police officer?!"

"Shut up! What gives you the right to criticize me, you freaking thief?" Kairi yelled as he threw a punch that Lupin Red caught, keeping them in a deadlock.

What had started off as a fairly slow day was disrupted by a Gangler attack, which led to an encounter with the Lupinrangers (groan), which _of course_ led to a standoff with the red one (double groan). To be honest, Kairi wouldn't mind the thieves so much if all they did was, y'know, steal, but they _always_ had to get in the way.

Their fights always played out like this: Lupin Red swinging in while ordering him to step aside but Kairi would engage in combat in order to get to the Gangler. Lupin Red was a quick one, however, always dodging and blocking his attacks. You'd think that such a defensive fighting style would make things easier for him, but it was frustrating when he wanted to get his job done quickly -- even more so when Lupin Red had managed to steal one of the GSPO's newly acquired Lupin Collection pieces.

His grip on Kairi’s fist tightening, Lupin Red yelled back: "You let innocent civilians get caught in the crossfire!"

Kairi snarled, remembering their earlier melee outside. Fighting both the Lupinrangers and the Gangler while trying to keep the Collection pieces safe was no easy feat, and he'd barely noticed the mother and child who hadn’t evacuated the area because of it. It was a hell of a close call, but he got to them right as the Gangler let loose an attack. Unfortunately they did suffer some injuries, though nothing fatal.

"Who do you think you are? My boss? I got them out, didn't I?!" Bringing his arm back, Kairi swung his foot underneath Lupin Red. He jumped up, just like he thought he would, and Kairi took the chance to tackle him down. With that, the Trigger Machine Biker clattered to the ground. "Besides, _you're_ the one who kept the Gangler alive."

As Lupin Red staggered back up, Kairi could only imagine him leering from behind his helmet. He couldn't help but grin at his little win.

"I... have my reasons," said Lupin Red.

"Reasons, schmeasons." The two of them circled around the Trigger Machine Biker like two predators hunting the same prey. "All criminals have their reasons, doesn't mean they're right."

"Likewise, you half-assing your job doesn't make you just."

Kairi paused as he took his words in, giving Lupin Red the opportunity to charge at him. He hit the wall so hard that not only did the Cyclone Dial Fighter and Trigger Machine #1 fly off his person, he lost his transformation as well. Mentally, Kairi berated himself for his moment of foolishness, but he'd have to dwell on that later.

"What the hell does that mean?" Kairi asked, struggling to find his equilibrium.

Still and silent as a statue, Lupin Red loomed over him. If only he could see his face, then maybe he could make out what was going on in his head. Kairi wouldn't let himself be intimidated, though. At least, he didn't dare show it.

"What do you fight for?" Lupin Red replied in return. Kairi had always known him to be loud and hot-blooded, but his words sent a chill down his body. "Your work is meaningless if you don't have a reason for it."

Not bothering to wait for a response, Lupin Red turned around to retrieve the Lupin Collection pieces. The red of his suit blended in with the red filling Kairi's vision, his footsteps reverberating in disharmony with the blood rushing to Kairi’s ears. Watching on, Kairi balled his hands into fists.

Truth be told, he'd signed up for the police academy on a whim. He never planned on joining the GSPO, let alone actually graduating. The whole peace and justice business had never been his thing, not really. He'd just been a boy who'd lost his brother -- his inspiration, his rival, his _everything_ \-- and was simply going about the days as they came, carrying his guilt and regrets like weights shackled to his body.

Then he saw that the police academy was taking in new recruits.

Kairi couldn't say what exactly clicked in his mind that day, but wallowing in self-pity only did so much. After Shori died, the one thing he was sure of was that he didn't want to regret anything like how he regretted his last moments with his brother. Maybe becoming a cop would be his way of making things up to Shori, or maybe becoming a cop would lead him to finally make something out of himself. Regardless of his reason, Kairi fought -- and he fought so no one else would have to go through what he did.

"Meaningless," his ass. That damned thief knew nothing.

 _Shori_ , Kairi thought as he picked himself off the ground. The room swirled and his body ached, but he didn't care in the least bit. _Are you watching me?_

Taking his VS Changer, he aimed right at Lupin Red.

 _I hope this makes you proud._ He shot with no hesitation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay!! we've made it to the end of this fic~! ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و thank you all so much for reading, whether you've been following from the beginning or not, commented or not, left a kudos or not -- knowing that there are people who enjoyed this means a lot to me!! this was just a fun idea i had, and i'm glad i was able to share it with you guys! (≧∇≦*)
> 
> i was asked this, so i thought i'd share my answer here too. if anyone was wondering, i might be writing more for this AU! but i want to wait until the show finishes before doing anything else because i want to see how things play out in canon first. my goal for this AU has always been to take canon and twist it in a way that makes these events believable. that said, i do have something else in the works at the moment: those little team interludes that i would've stuck in between the transition between the lupins and the pats ehe. hopefully those will be up soon! and i'll just be sticking those to this fic when i get to them lol. but otherwise, it probably won't be until next year until i do something proper for this AU ;v;
> 
> once again, thank you guys so much for reading!! i hope you all have a wonderful day/night~!! ❤⃛ヾ(๑❛ ▿ ◠๑ )

**Author's Note:**

> thank you guys for reading!! feel free to let me know what you think in the comments, or hit me up on [tumblr](http://dollofdeath.tumblr.com) or [twitter](http://twitter.com/nighthawkstars). i hope you all have a lovely day/night~! (ﾉ^∇^)ﾉﾟ


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